The Ministry of Small and Medium Enterprises Development, through the Cooperatives College, has trained 147 cooperatives in Nkeyema District in various issues of cooperatives management.

The training centered on such mindset change, conflict resolution, climate change, cooperative structure and procedures as well as farm mechanization, among others 

ZANIS reports that Cooperatives College Senior Training Officer, Morgan Sitali says the college aims to train cooperatives to have a business mindset as opposed to cooperators usual focus on farmer input support programme (FISP). 

“Our focus is to ensure the cooperatives are equipped with business knowledge which will transform their cooperatives into lucrative businesses with an addition of conflict resolution to mention but a few things they have been taught,” Mr Sitali said.

Nkeyema District Commissioner, Ellis Mukubesa, who presented certificates to the trainees, said the training was in the interest of the government aiming at improving the livelihood of the people to see that cooperatives in the country become major business entities contributing to the income generation of the country.

“I am happy to see that farmers in Nkeyema district have been trained and given certificates and our desire is to see a great improvement in your cooperatives,” Mr Mukubesa said 

He added that with the launch of mechanisation farming equipment by government in Nkeyema, cooperatives should engage in full time farming to ensure attainment of optimum production.